Thomas walsh



(No Model.)

T. WALSH. ATTACHMENT FOR SHOVBLS, SPADES, &c.

No. 519,515. Patented May 8, 1894.

WI/Zh can (as UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS WALSH, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

ATTACHMENT FOR SHOVELS, SPADES, 80C.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,515, dated May'8 1894. i

. Application filed October 16,1893. Serial No. 488.219- (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS WALSH, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at the city of Montreal, in the district of Montreal and Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Shovels, Spades, and Similar Implements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference toimprovements in auxiliary handles for shovels, spades, pitchforks and similar, implements for the purpose of rendering them applicable to implement handles of varying thicknesses as well as to simplify and reduce the cost of construction.

The invention consists in making the body of the device of a single strip of metal, sufficiently thin to be flexible, bent into U-form, and having an annular reduction of a minimum size adapted to clip tightly the smallest handle, or to be expanded to fit over the largest, the ends of the strip carrying between them a rigid handle piece of suitable form- For full comprehension however of the invention, reference must be had to the annexed drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts'and wherein-e Figure 1 is a plan of an embodiment of my invention with part of the handpiece broken away, and Fig. 2 a sectional side elevation taken about linex Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing my invention attached to a section of a handle g; and Fig. 4, a side elevation of a spade with my invention attached.

a is a spring metal clamp or clasp having an annular reduction 1), which is enlarged or decreased by the tightening of the nut c on the bolt d. f is a handle or grip through which the bolt (1 passes. This can be fitted to revolve if desired. 9 is the handle of any ordinary spade, shovel, pitchfork, or similar implement to which my invention is applied.

The manner of attaching my invention is as follows: By undoing the nut c, the bolt d,

is released and also the spring a, which causes the enlargement of the annular part b. The handle 9 of the implementto which my invention is to be attached is then admitted at its smallest point when upon forcing the spring a, into the end of the bolt d, and replacing thereon the nut c, the spring a, may be tightened to the desired degree upon the handle 9, of the implement and also allows of the attachment being placed at the desired distance up or down the handle g, of the implement according to the requirements of the user.

Any suitable material, suchas wood, rubber, metal, &c.', maybe employed for the handle f, and any ordinary meansof holding the spring a in place may be used instead of the bolt cl, and nut 0, herein shown.

I would here point out that with my invention a direct and natural hold can be taken when using the implement whereas the lower hand is always in a more or less strained position and not able to take a straight grip in using the ordinary spade, shovel, &c., without attachment.

What I claim is as follows:

1. In combination with a shovel or the like,

an auxiliary handle situated about midway of its length and formed of a single integral flexible strip of metal bent to clip the implement handle and adapted to carry a rigid hand piece, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a spade, shovel or the like, of the attachment comprising the spring clamp a, formed of a single integral strip of metal having annular reduction b, midway of its length, the bolt cl, nut c, and handle or grip f adapted to be set on the handle of the spade or similar implement all substantially as set forth.

THOS. WALSH. 

